[el´ vazh] n. m. The education of wine. A blog.
Part of Vincent Wine Company, Portland, OR

April 10, 2010

2005 Thomas Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Oregon

Once again, John Thomas has produced a winner. This is translucent, savory red fruited wine with lovely fragrance. The aroma is slightly lifted but it's all about wild strawberries and well integrated woodsy spice and ash notes. There's a good mix of breadth and focus to the flavors. It's not rich but it is mouthfilling, covering the palate yet still nicely precise and detailed. This is drinking well now but should age nicely for some years given the bright acidity. Fans of extract and weight might not get this wine. I love it.

6 comments:

That's the spirit. Actually, I think the style might not convert the masses...unless certain critics hop on board. One major writer about OR wines hadn't even heard of Thomas some months back, but I think he had a chance to try this one. Wonder what he thought.

That's a difficult question. Winemaking style might be similar but final results vary. I think we share a stylistic goal in making wines that reflect a sense of place. But the places are different. I'm also admittedly finding my style and that takes a while. I can't speak for his, but my 2009s are not heavy, highly extracted wines. I'm using mostly older oak. If I have a model, it's Russ Raney at Evesham Wood. That said, I likely will take some time to make wines as elegant and consistent as either of them. They make good wines to measure myself by, that's for sure.

Vincent Wine Company

We don't just blog about wine. We make it, too, at the Southeast Wine Collective at 2425 SE 35th Place in Portland, Oregon, at SE Division. Come taste our Willamette Valley Pinot noir wines along with three other local producers that share this beautiful winery space. And don't forget to email us to join the Vincent Wine Company mailing list.

We're also part of Guild Winemakers, a co-operative project between four Portland-area winemakers. We produce red and white wines priced for everyday enjoyment. Look for them all over Oregon and in several states across the country.